Royal Navy bomb experts have been called in to detonate a Sea Wolf missile after it was brought into Brixham harbor by a fishing trawler.

Witnesses described emergency services, including the bomb disposal unit, which rushed to the scene after fishermen discovered the explosive in Devon this morning.

The Coast Guard put a cordon in place as experts examined the device to determine exactly what it was and if it was dangerous.

Royal Navy officers determined it to be a Sea Wolf missile – a naval surface-to-air missile system designed as a short-range defense against missiles and wide-angle anti-ship and anti-ship aircraft. .

The device was submerged 14 meters into the sea where it was destroyed with explosives by the Navy bomb disposal unit.

A Navy spokesperson at the scene told DevonLive: “A fisherman brought in what he thought was an old Sea Wolf rocket.

“He wasn’t sure his complete type at the time. Around 9 a.m., I arrived at Brixham Harbor.

“The police called us, we got in, identified it as a Sea Wolf rocket engine, so low explosive, and the safest option for us was to take it out to sea and detonate it. at sea.”

The coast guard set up a cordon and warned local fishermen of the operation before the explosion.

The Navy team took the device, which was a Sea Wolf engine and is said to have a low risk of explosion, to sea and attached its own explosives to the device.

He was then lowered to the bottom of the sea where the explosives exploded and the device was taken to safety.

Witnesses described hearing a pop as the aircraft was destroyed.

The experts, who were brought in from Plymouth, then left the scene.